"the ICAC treats you to coffee! "

At 303 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong, there is a 25-story silver-gray building facing the sea. if it is not for the eye-catching "Independent Commission against Corruption" sign, it looks like an ordinary office building from the outside. Unfortunately, due to the many secrets, the ICAC seldom opens up to the public, which attracts more and more interest from the public. When I was studying in Hong Kong, I always wanted to go into the mysterious Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC). So, when I finally got a chance to visit, I was so excited that I wanted all the neighbors to share the good news. Before going out in the morning, the old doorman of the dormitory said to me with a smile, "be careful that the ICAC buys you coffee!"

In fact, it has been less than two years since the ICAC moved into the new building. Before that, the ICAC in Xiangjiang, a town far away from Weimingyuan, had been working in the Murray Road car park building in Central. I have passed that building, which is more than ten stories high, but more than half of it is a parking lot, noisy and stuffy, and the office conditions are really poor. When they entered the door, they talked to the staff of the ICAC about the new office building. they all laughed and said that it was very different from what it used to be. had it not been for the delivery of a report card satisfactory to the public over the past 30 years or so, how could we have enjoyed such good office conditions so easily?

The building of the ICAC pays attention to the environmentally friendly design and is characterized by the use of highly transparent glass curtain exterior walls. Many floors rely on natural lighting, symbolizing that the work of the ICAC is subject to supervision and is accountable to the public. However, unlike the openness and intimacy of ordinary government departments, the legendary ICAC is indeed heavily guarded, and every door must be swiped by the accompanying staff, which is like walking into a Hong Kong production blockbuster. As soon as we sat down in the conference room, the staff of the ICAC kindly asked us what we would like to drink. I replied without thinking, "Coffee", and everyone would smile.

It turns out that when people are invited to the ICAC for questioning, the staff will ask politely, "what would you like to drink, tea or coffee?" It is just that the ICAC's anti-corruption efforts are so strong that as long as people are invited to the inquiry room for coffee, it is almost impossible for them to escape the charges. Over time, "ICAC invites coffee" has become synonymous with the investigation, which means: you are in trouble! This is what the majority of coffee lovers did not expect. Although ICAC coffee is provided free of charge, many superstitious Hong Kong people refuse to drink coffee even if they go to the ICAC because of certain taboos. When they go out, they will certainly explain to their colleagues, "I went to do business. I didn't drink coffee."

According to the staff of the ICAC, when it was opened to the public not long ago, the most popular person in the ICAC was the eldest sister who made coffee, and she made headlines in major newspapers for two consecutive days. Imagine that in the crowded ICAC Building Cafe, many people are holding a cup of instant coffee, scrambling to take a picture with the eldest sister who makes coffee, and you will know the extent to which "ICAC Coffee" is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. In fact, rather than saying that the ICAC is famous for its coffee, it is better to say that the ICAC's anti-corruption work has been very effective, which is not only a deterrent to corrupt elements, but also welcomed by the general public.